Mobile gaming is about to become more addictive than ever as today T-Mobile becomes the first operator in the UK to offer free games. Funded by advertising, customers can access at least one new game per week by joining T-Mobile's Game Club. The first free game available to consumers is Poker Million II, which is funded by advertisers including Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, from Paramount Pictures.
Digistores, the digital ad-funded entertainment experts, will host and manage the content and new games will be made available each week. Games scheduled to appear in the coming weeks include IQ Booster, Pro-Bowling, Pool Star and Einstein's Brain Game. Digistores' service will only offer customers games that are compatible with their particular handsets and can automatically detect the games that will work on individual devices.
The games are available to people who subscribe to T-Mobile's web'n'walk (internet). In exchange for simply watching two full-screen, targeted adverts before starting the game and two adverts after the game has finished, customers get the game for free and will not be hit with any hidden charges. Within the UK, customers will not be charged for the data required for downloading the game or accessing the adverts. The full screen, interstitial adverts are interactive and enable the user to visit an advertiser's mobile site or even click to call or text the advertiser. There will be no limitations on the number of games that can be downloaded or how many times each game can be played.
Damien Byrne, Head of New Proposition Development, T-Mobile UK, said: The launch of ad-funded games further strengthens T-Mobile's mobile gaming offering to consumers. We continue to make mobile gaming easier than ever before and a more enjoyable experience for our customers.Â
Steve Gordon, Managing Director, Digistores said: We are delighted to be working with T-Mobile on this innovative project. Our experience in the mobile gaming and advertising market and T-Mobile's web'n'walk service are the perfect match and we look forward to attracting new customers to mobile games. Our technology allows advertising to targeted to specific segments which makes it a successful proposition for advertisers and content partners alike.Â
Zac Stephenson, Communications Director at Ad Agency Mediaedge:cia added: Digistores offered us the opportunity to associate with free, quality gaming content delivered directly to a mobile audience. As mobile phones continue to assume greater roles as entertainment delivery devices, it's important for Paramount to remain at the forefront of new developments such as this.